Wildlife plays a fundamental role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and supporting the balance of nature. Yet today, countless species are facing increasing threats caused by habitat destruction, climate change, illegal wildlife trade, poaching, and the exploitation of animals for entertainment and tourism.

For this reason, the protection of wildlife is not only an environmental priority but also a responsibility toward a natural heritage that belongs to all humanity.

Combating the exploitation of wildlife

Across many parts of the world, wild animals continue to be exploited for profit. From wildlife trafficking and illegal hunting to the use of animals in tourist attractions, these practices cause immense suffering and contribute to the decline of already vulnerable species.

OIPA ETS is actively engaged in international campaigns aimed at combating the exploitation of wildlife and promoting respect for animals in their natural habitats.

Our initiatives focus on several key areas, including:

• opposing the use of wild animals in tourism and entertainment
• raising awareness about wildlife trafficking and illegal trade
• advocating against hunting practices that threaten endangered species
• supporting actions that prevent poaching and protect wildlife populations.

Through advocacy, education, and collaboration with local organizations, OIPA works to encourage more responsible policies and practices that prioritize the protection of animals and ecosystems.

A global network working for wildlife protection

Through its international network, OIPA collaborates with Member Leagues and representatives around the world to promote concrete initiatives for wildlife protection.

Many of these efforts take place in regions where biodiversity is exceptionally rich but also highly threatened. In Africa, several projects support conservation activities and the protection of endangered species, while in Asia OIPA and its partners work to raise awareness and address practices that exploit wild animals.

Protecting wildlife for future generations

Protecting wildlife requires long-term commitment, international cooperation, and increased public awareness.

Governments, organizations, and citizens all have a role to play in ensuring that animals can live in their natural environments free from exploitation and harm.

On World Wildlife Day, OIPA reaffirms its commitment to defending wildlife around the globe and working alongside its international network to promote a future in which animals are respected, protected, and allowed to thrive in the wild.

L'articolo World Wildlife Day: Protecting Wildlife Means Protecting Our Planet proviene da OIPA.

All the participants agreed that measures from the European institutions and the Member States are required to support the international efforts to end the poaching of elephants

The Intergoup meeting was chaired by Jacqueline Foster MEP, that stressed the importance of introducing “a full ivory ban to end the demand for ivory products, protect this beautiful species and preserve the world’s diverse wildlife for future generations”.

Catherine Bearder, MEP and President for MEP4Wildlife, stressed the need for pan-European measures. Only a ban of all ivory sales would deprive ivory from its value and put an end to the poaching of elephants.

Emmanuelle Maire, Head of the Unit on Multilateral Environmental Cooperation in the Directorate-General for Environment, talked about the Action Plan on Wildlife Trafficking adopted in November 2016 by the Commission. Welcomed by the Parliament, on July the Commission will be reporting on everything that has been done either at the EU level as well as regards to initiatives undertaken by the member states. This action plan includes measures for the protection of elephants. In terms of prevention, a lot has been done in particular on the part of the consuming countries, one of the factors leading to poaching. In regard of its internal market, the EU has been limiting it with the CITES ban on the trade of new ivory. The Commission has also published a guidance document that calls on Member States to end the export of old raw ivory.

Ilaria Di Silvestre, Wildlife Programme Leader at Eurogroup for Animals, outlined why the EU actions are determinant for the fate of wild elephants. Elephant poaching will not stop while legal ivory domestic markets remain open. The international community has already called on all governments to close domestic markets. In 2016 CITES adopted the resolution 10.10, asking to close domestic markets. The EU Parliament also adopted a resolution in this respect. The vast majority of African range states also called for it, because they know well that the only way to put the poaching under control is to completely stop any form of trade. Many states such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the UK have already taken action.

Nevertheless, elephants continue to disappear at an alarming rate. The decline in the population of the African elephant is huge. According to estimates, in 1927 the elephant population stood at approximately 10,000,000. In 1970, it has fallen to 1,500,000 and today less than 450,000 elephants live in the African continent. It is supposed that around 20 thousand elephants are killed every year.

The EU is currently the largest exporter of legal ivory and a major transit point for illegal trade in wildlife-and this includes ivory. Ilaria Di Silvestre concluded: “we don’t have any time for inaction or experimental action, or just wait and see what happens. It is time to take action otherwise this species will be lost for ever. The destiny of elephants is in our hands. We must call on the European Council and Commission to immediately adopt a mandatory, comprehensive EU ban on all external and domestic trade on ivory”.

L'articolo IVORY TRADE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION: DISCUSSION OF THE INTERGROUP ON THE WELFARE AND CONSERVATION OF ANIMALS proviene da OIPA.

SUPPORT OIPA COMMUNITY EDUCATION CAMPAIGN AND FIGHT AGAINST IVORY TRAFFICKING IN CAMEROON

A cargo of over 300 kg of Ivory seized in the Eastern region of Cameroon after an agent of OIPA signaled the Regional Delegate of Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife.     

WHILE OIPA INTERNATIONAL CAMEROON IS NEGOTIATING TO SIGN AN OFFICIAL MOU WITH THE MINISTRY OF FORESTRY AND WILDLIFE TO PROTECT THE REMAINING ELEPHANTS IN CAMEROON, WE ARE ALREADY WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITIES AND AUTHORITIES TO TRACK DOWN IVORY TRAFFICKERS.

On  the  18  of march 2017, Customs units in the Eastern Region of Cameroon seized a cargo of 114 ivory tusks weighing approximately 300 kg,  they  were  alerted  by  the Regional  Delegate  of  forestry and wildlife . The two smugglers arrested with the cargo had carefully hidden it in a bush taxi and were transporting it to Congo to be marketed in China.

According to Eitel Pandong, Regional Delegate of the Ministry of Forestry and wildlife in the East, the current price of ivory on the international market of this cargo can be estimated at roughly FCFA 270 million.  He thanked OIPA for intervention and salutes their courage for not taking bribe from the  traffickers and  for reporting the suspected cargo.  He lauded our effort to fight ivory trafficking and promise work with our volunteer agents in combating ivory trafficking.

The same cargo of ivory, according to this senior civil servant, indicates that about 80 elephants were killed. According to the two smugglers, the seized ivory tusks came from the Northern region of Congo. However they are detained and investigation is still going on.

While  investigation is going  on, the  international representative of OIPA in Cameroon  Mr Che Gilbert  lauded  the effort  of  community for  their  support and promise to not disclose their  identity for  security reason. He also assured every one that legal action will be taken and they will face the consequences of their act.

 ANIMALS HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIVE AND IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT.

 YOU CAN ENSURE THAT BY MAKING A DONATION

TO OIPA INTERNATIONAL

Read more about STAND FOR ELEPHNATS (CAMPAIGN AGAINST POACHING AND IVORY TRADE) >> CLICK HERE

L'articolo STAND WITH OIPA INTERNATIONAL FOR ELEPHANTS IN CAMEROON proviene da OIPA.

This recent terrible news leave us very sad. Elephants are living beings, not goods to be exchanged. An elephant can live for over 70 years, and these calves separated from their mothers and herds will grow alone in the cages of Chinese zoos.

The 51-year-old wife of the Zimbabwean leader, Grace Mugabe has sent 35 elephant calves, eight lions, a dozen hyenas and a giraffe to a Chinese wildlife park to settle a debt for boots and uniforms bought for the Congolese military.

The animals were captured at the Hwange National Park and flown out of Zimbabwe in a Russian-registered Boeing 747. The plane stopped in Moscow en route to Shanghai and the animals were finally released at the Chimelong safari park in Guangzhou, China.

There are fears that the elephants brought to China could be used to start an ivory trading operation.

Zimbabwean wildlife officials say that the capture of the animals would ease pressure on the “overburdened” parks and reduce conflict with local communities. However, a wildlife expert in Zimbabwe says that separating young elephants from their herd and environment is considered cruel.

Sharon Pincott, an elephant conservationist who monitored a clan of elephants in Hwange for 13 years, said: “What Zimbabwe is doing may be legal but it is in no way ethical, especially given all we know about elephant families today: their deep family bonds, their indisputable level of intelligence, the way they grieve.”

Patricia Awori of the African Elephant Coalition (AEC) Secretariat, a coalition of 29 countries that has proposed a ban on the export of African elephants outside their natural range, said: “The essence of being an elephant is that they live, function within and are shaped by their environment. Foraging for and consuming food, rolling in the mud, and frolicking with its siblings is an essential part of being an elephant. An elephant that ceases to be wild ceases to be.”

OIPA sent an official lettre to the Zimbabwe Government asking to stop the elephants trade. Those beautiful wild animals must be protected not traded.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Send a letter of protest
• Raise awareness among your community on this issue, CLICK HERE
• Read more about elephants, CLICK HERE
• Get Involved with OIPA, CLICK HERE
• Support OIPA, CLICK HERE

L'articolo ZIMBABWE SEND 35 LIVE ELEPHANTS TO WILDLIFE PARKS IN CHINA proviene da OIPA.

This is a very important opportunity for many species, to ensure that laws and regulations are taken against their exploitation, hunting and illegal trade.

The pangolin has reached the strongest possible global protections from trade.

All eight species of this animal have been uplisted from Appendix II – in which they were located since 1994 – to Appendix I. This means that the international commercial trade of pangolins or pangolin parts is officially prohibited. It’s a great victory, because pangolins are the most illegally traded mammal in the world. The vote was unanimous.

The same decision was made for African gray parrots, whose wild population has been decimated by the illegal international trade.

Some good news also for some species of fishes: CITES members voted to include silky shark, thresher shark and devil ray in the Appendix II, in order to allow trade only if it is not detrimental to the survival of the species.

In fact, CITES includes protected species in three lists, called Appendices.

Appendix I is the highest level of international protection. The species included in this list are threatened with extinction and are or may be affected by trade. So commercial trade in wild-caught specimens of these species is illegal.

Appendix II provides a lower level of protection. Here we find species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction, but they are subjected to strict regulation in order to avoid utilization incompatible with the survival of the species in the wild.

Appendix III are species that are listed after one member country has asked other CITES Parties for assistance in controlling trade.

Among the animals who have found protection there are the Barbary macaque, which is the only primate living in Europe. The majority of these primates lives in the Mediterranean area between the Strait of Gibraltar, Morocco and Algeria and its population had already been categorized as endangered species and included in the IUCN Red List since 2008, as the population had suffered a 50% decline over the last 20 years.

It did not go so well for large African mammals.

For the African lions it has been established an annual export quota for bones and claws to be traded for commercial purposes. The only State that currently trades parts of lions, South Africa, will be bound to report the annual export quota for trade to CITES each year.

However, this marks a starting point, but it is not sufficient to ensure full protection for these animals.

There might be fewer than 20,000 of these lions left in the world. The marginal action they did take will prohibit countries like South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania from selling parts of wild lions, but it won’t prevent trophy hunters from killing lions and shipping them back to the hunter’s home country. Fortunately, for 2016, the United States suspended imports of all lion trophies. The CITES decision also won’t stop the international commercial trade in lion bones from cruel lion farming operations, such as those in South Africa, which offer canned lion hunting, cub petting, and lion walks

For rhinos if no progress was made, at least the damage has been restrained: in fact the Swaziland proposal to permit a limited and regulated trade in white rhino horn has been locked.

Even for elephants it has been taken a step backward. The Parties were able to agree only in the development of guidelines for the management of stockpiles, instead of international regulatory to destroy ivory stockpiles. Anyway, something good has been reached: the States – including China – agreed to close domestic markets to the illegal trade in ivory.

It’s impressive to see China, the world’s largest consumer of ivory, take such a leadership role in pushing for the toughest measures possible to protect elephants with full closure of domestic ivory markets.

Unfortunately some African States – except for Botswana, which is home to the most elephants in the world – opposed the decision to uplist elephants to Appendix I. To these, we have to add the resounding decision of European Union to vote against this proposal.

All populations of African elephants had already been included in Appendix I in 1989, but in 1997 and 2000, the populations of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe were “declassified” in Appendix II, to allow two sales of large ivory stocks to Japan and China in 1999 and 2008.

2016 has seen the second most important global ivory market closed: the US one. In June infact, the President Obama announced regulations to ban nearly all commercial elephant ivory trade in the country, the same decision was taken by the France, which decided to ban the trade in ivory and rhino horn all overseas French territories.

Furthermore, in April Kenya burned 105 tonnes of ivory, the biggest ever stockpile of ivory, and in March Italy crushed a tonne of ivory worth around US$ 5.3million. The destruction of ivory stocks raised some critics, for example that it is a waste or that this strategy won’t work. Kenya is one of the largest point of departure for international trade and the Government Decision to destroy the stockpiles is part of a wider conservation strategy to eliminate demand for ivory and put value instead on living elephants.

The economic value of elephants, with their ivory attached, is enormous: leisure tourism generated KSh 238 billion for the Kenyan economy in 2014, while more than half a million people are employed by the tourism sector.

By contrast the value of all the ivory to be burned has been estimated at KSh 3 billion, at black market prices.

There are no economic solutions that will stop the poaching and ivory trafficking in time to save Africa’s elephants. With the total population of African elephants standing at less than 500,000—and falling—the gap between the potential supply and potential demand is simply too wide.

Elephants must be protected and it is important to act against paoching now (as we discuss in a previous article: CLICK HERE).

Read more about OIPA Campaign Stand for Elephants CLICK HERE

What you can do:

• BOYCOTT IVORY PRODUCTS AND JEWELLERY
• TAKE ACTION WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY
• MAKE A DONATION

Visit our page GET INVOLVED! CLICK HERE

L'articolo JOHANNESBURG: CITES OUTCOMES – GOOD AND BAD NEWS FOR WILDLIFE proviene da OIPA.

This escalation is mainly due to the request of rhino horn from Asian countries, especially China and Vietnam. This demand is historically linked to the use of the horn in traditional medicine in these countries.

However, in recent years it seems that an another aspect threatens the life of these mammals. In fact own the rhino horn has become a status symbol of the emerging social classes. This drives up the value of the horn on the black market and pushes the poachers to ruthless actions. They plan the capture and killing of specimens actions by adopting high-technology tools and transforming hunting in guerrilla operations. The data of the International Ranger Federation indicate that at least 96 people were killed last year during anti poaching operations.

To counter the extinction of the five remaining species, some breeding were introduced in Europe: 78 zoological park it has reached nearly 300 specimens.

This day reminds us that much more remains to be done to protect these wonderful wild animals.

Read more about OIPA International Campaign Against Ivory Trade, CLICK HERE

L'articolo WORLD RHINO DAY – 1300 ANIMALS KILLED LAST YEAR proviene da OIPA.

• Ownership certificate
• Transportation of elephants
• Norms and standard for transportation
• Housing of elephants
• Care of elephants
• Feeding of elephants
• Work load of elephants
• Retirement of elephants
• Records to be kept
• Cutting tusks
• Acts which are tantamount to cruelty to elephants

The states will formulate their own rules following the guidelines.

This a step forward for the protection of elephants and their safeguard, still a lot has to be done but thanks to OIPA India and the national representative Mr. Naresh Kadyan the welfare of animals in India will improve remarkably.

Visit OIPA India page: http://www.oipainternational.org/oipa-india/

L'articolo OIPA INDIA – AFTER THE REQUEST OF OIPA DELEGATION THE ASIAN ELEPHANTS HAS BEEN ACCORDED HIGHEST PROTECTION IN INDIA proviene da OIPA.

Protecting the world wildlife and the global environment is essential, and to avoid the extinction of some species we must act now.

We believe that animals can’t be exploited and threatened, they must be protected and they have the right to live free in their natural habitats. Poaching is a threat not only for elephants and other animals, but for the whole global community.

Wildlife crime is a huge business, lead by dangerous international illicit organizations, wildlife are trafficked like illegal drugs and weapons. It is very difficult to obtain reliable figures for the value of this illegal traffic. Experts estimate that it runs into hundreds of millions of dollars.

One kilo of ivory is worth about 1000 US$, but how much does the life of an elephant cost?

To tackle poaching is essential to give a strong international response. Starting from local communities in Africa to fight poachers, till the European metropolis to stop trade and sellers.

Together we can make the difference for elephants, join OIPA International Campaign!

WHY IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST POACHING:

• TO PROTECT WILDLIFE – EACH 15 MINUTES AN ELEPHANT DIES BECAUSE OF POACHING, AT THIS RATE AFRICAN ELEPHANT WILL BE EXTINCT BY 11 YEARS

• TO FIGHT TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIMES – INTERNATIONAL IVORY TRADE FINANCE MANY INTERNATIONAL TERRORISTIC GROUPS, AS AL SHABBAB AND BOKO HARAM. IVORY IS USED TO BUY WEAPONS AND TO PAY SOLDIERS OR TERRORISTS. WHEN CRISIS AND WARS AFFECT THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES, IT IS EVEN HARDER TO PROTECT THE WILDLIFE FOR THE GOVERNMENTS

HOW WE CAN PROTECT THE WILDLIFE FROM POACHING?

• DIRECT PROTECTION IN THE PARKS WITH RANGERS AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES

In many African parks rangers patrol the territory to protect the wildlife and the environment. However, they often do not have enough means to control these wide territories and to discourage poachers. Often rangers’ weapons are useless against poachers, better equipped and ruthless.

In many African countries, rangers die after armed conflict with poachers.

• CARE AND SAFEGUARD OF WOUNDED ANIMALS AND BABY ORPHANS

Except natural causes, as illness or water scarcity periods, elephants are killed by poachers. Often they killed the mothers for the tusks and leave baby elephants in the bush alone. Those babies cannot survive without the mother: they die after few days attacked by predators, for hunger, thirst or other natural reasons. The only chance is to be found by a rescue center, in these cases the baby elephant is raised by the vets and when possible is brought back in a herd.

• FIGHT CORRUPTION AND SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT

Ivory price is about 1000 US$/kg, so it is a high profitable illicit traffic. Ivory trade is illegal since 1989, and many African countries have high fines and penalties for criminals. However, there are often cases of corruption and cooperation with traffickers, as well within government authorities and politicians.

• RAISING AWERENESS WITHIN THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Often local communities unaware about this issue and about the possibility of extinction for the elephants, cooperate with poachers in exchange of money or elephant meat. Local people and tribes’ members help the hunters to find the herds in the savannah. Sometimes it takes several days of walk into the bush, then they have to kill the animal and taking back the ivory and the meat to the village. This is a difficult mission and the assistance from local people is really helpful for hunters.

• RAISING AWARENESS WITHIN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

International ivory trade serves mostly Asian markets, in particular the Chinese one. Destroying and boycotting ivory products is the most effective way to stop this illicit activity and save the animals.

The best way to tackle transnational crimes is the international cooperation among governments, NGOs and local communities.

READ MORE HERE: http://www.oipainternational.org/stand-for-elephants/

L'articolo WHY IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST POACHING NOW proviene da OIPA.

READ MORE HERE ABOUT IVORY TRADE AND POACHING:

http://www.oipainternational.org/campaigns/

L'articolo IVORY TRAFFICKING KINGPIN FEISAL MOHAMMED JAILED FOR 20 YEARS, FINED SH20 MILLION proviene da OIPA.

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In a pastoral community where women are traditionally expected to defer to their husbands and keep their opinions private, a 16-year-old Ekiru insisted on attending community meetings that were normally the preserve of men, and began trying to reform the men she knew were poaching. But confronting the poachers put her own life on the line.

She said: “First they wrote a letter to me threatening me. The second time, they called in [five men] to me and threatened me. That time they were pointing guns at me. I said I was ready to die but can I tell you some reasons [why she was trying to persuade them]”. For 20 minutes she told them they were being used, that they were creating conflict between ethnic groups and were destroying the “treasure” that was their local wildlife. “One of them said: ‘Don’t kill her’, he dropped his gun. He said, ‘Nobody has ever told us about this.’

Ekiru’s conservancy is one of 33 in a network known as the Northern Rangelands Trust, which prides itself on being community-run and working with local people as a way to curb poaching. The conservancy model was born out of Lewa, a privately owned and well-armed cattle ranch that was transformed into a safe haven for black rhino.

 “I don’t think anyone today would deny Kenya is a very corrupt country. The corruption isn’t just in wildlife management, but at the ports, at law enforcement agencies, it’s with the customs, parts of the judiciary, it’s certainly present at many levels in the police force, it’s certainly very real and still is to a certain extent in the KWS. Government administration is in places, particularly in the countryside, compromised,” she said.

A network of organised crime is devastating Africa’s wildlife. It stretches from the remote wilds of Kenya to the port of Mombasa and out to China and south-east Asia, where an affluent middle class buy ground-up rhino horn as a status symbol and ivory is carved and sold as ornaments and trinkets.

Kenya, hit by a poaching surge in 2012 and 2013 that resulted in the loss of more elephants and rhino than at any time in the past two decades, is taking the problem seriously. It set ablaze more than 100 tonnes of seized ivory, in what conservationists said was an “SOS to the world”. It followed a new wildlife law that can inflict a maximum penalty of life imprisonment for poachers.

The men who kill in the field are relatively easy for the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and private rangers to catch, compared with the middlemen and kingpins orchestrating the trade.

More ivory is shipped out of the port at Mombasa on Kenya’s coast than anywhere in Africa and, despite a recent staff cleanup by Kenyatta, the corruption is still there. Cameras get switched off, or pointed briefly at the sun, or truck scanners are deactivated. Despite the tougher penalties under the 2013 Wildlife Act, just 6% of wildlife criminals convicted during 2014-15 received a prison sentence, according to the respected Kenyan non-governmental organisation, WildlifeDirect. “To date no high-level trafficker has been convicted and sentenced by Kenyan courts,” said an ex-poacher in a report looking at more than 500 court cases in 2014 and 2015.

In the field, the battle to save Kenya’s last 32,000-odd elephants and about 1,000 black and white rhino continues.

To Ekiru, the answer lies in having local people run the show and OIPA agrees with her. “The only future we have for this wildlife is in the hands of the communities living with this wildlife.”

“If we can persuade the market that it’s a shame to do this, there just won’t be the need for these elephants to be killed.”

OIPA International is working with local NGO and associations in order to involve the community in the Campaign against Poaching and Ivory Trade. Raising the awareness and touch the consciousness of local population is essential to tackle the problem. In the meanwhile our next goal is to arrive to a global Ivory Ban and to the Chinese Ivory Ban. As long as there will be an ivory market in China, there will be work for poachers.

Ekiru’s history is a beautiful case of a single person which find the strength to fight and face poachers, with the support of her community. How strong could we be if we were fighting together?    

Visit OIPA International Campaign Stand for Elephants! Against poaching and Ivory trade.

L'articolo KENYA – WHEN A 26 YEARS OLD GIRL FIGHTS THE POACHERS AND WINS! proviene da OIPA.